Archive | Guns

Call me crazy, a dooms-day prepper, paranoid or tell me that I watch too many action flicks, because I’m all about expecting the best, but preparing for the worst. If you’ve been listening, not just to the news, but on the internet and to people you meet, we never expect crazy things to happen in our lives, but when it does, it’s always better to be ready for it.

Most of the stories I hear, the victims weren’t ready for it. Let’s be the rare exception!

And in my book, part of being ready for such an event within my home is properly concealing my firearms in strategic areas. Heck, we’ve all seen the movies where the guns are taped underneath the sink or are in the tank of the toilet. Sure, they’re concealed, but in my home, that’s an easy find for my two year old.

A good gun safe, from a tactical point of view, is both concealed and easily accessible, yet, is safe enough to protect your own children from injuring themselves.

Concealed and Hidden Gun Safe Ideas for Your Home

So what I’ve done is researched the gun safe and found some pretty original creations out there. We’ve all seen the typical gun safe. They’re green, about four feet tall and have a keyhole in the door, usually right below the “Cabelas” logo! Others are the size of a tank with a huge pirate ship wheel on the front.

But the non-typical gun safe is concealed in the ordinary things we use every single day of our lives, and that’s what you’ll find in these images.

I’m sure there are others out there, so please share them with me and I’ll add them to the gallery as I get them.

The one that won my vote was the Pepsi Machine gun safe. If there were only a way to get a pistol, or even a hand grenade from the dispenser when the “Mountain Dew” button was pushed.

I have always had a place in my heart for unusual and unique weapons, especially those with more than one use. Some can be a little extreme, such as the AR-15 chainsaw combo, but others can come in real handy in a sticky situation.

The weapon of topic today is the axe gun.

I’m sort of divided as to whether or not I should call it the axe gun or the gun axe, but am leaning more towards “axe gun.” An AK-47 would be called an “assault rife” by many, so axe gun it is.

The Axe Gun and its Uses.

Now you’re probably thinking that there’s no way in hell you’d use this thing to actually chop wood with. I know because I had the same thought. Most of these axe guns are more or less hatchets.

With that said, “The Patriot” comes to mind, starring Mel Gibson. He uses a hatchet as his weapon of choice during the revolutionary war in that movie, which is exactly how I’d be using the axe gun. Instead of a bayonet, you’ve got an axe blade fixed to the end of your rifle.

The first image on this page looks way to nice to have been used back in the day, as if it were a remake of something that existed in the past. So after a quick search, I found some pretty sweet and different versions of the axe gun.

If you come across something that you’d like to share here, leave a comment with the URL to the image and I’ll see about adding it. Also, if you’ve had the opportunity to fire one of the axe guns or rifles, I’d love to hear your feedback.

If you’re anything like I am, by the time Friday rolls around, I’m ready for a night away from the kids! It’s time to call up the babysitter and head out on the town with my significant other for a little R and R!

You know what I mean?

We’ve actually made a habit out of it. Every week, we take the time to go out on a date, just the two of us, without the kids. It’s an extremely healthy, relationship building habit to adapt, and if you’re not doing it already, or something close to it, I highly recommend it. You and your spouse absolutely deserve it.

So, for those of you who are going on regular dates with your spouse, what do you do for a babysitter?

As for Amy and I, we have my parents and each of us has a sister who all live in the same town. So whenever we need a babysitter, most of the time, our kids end up going to Grandma’s house.

You might already be doing the same. But for many, it’s not always that easy. And that’s where the word, “Babysitter” comes into play.

We’ve been there! When you live in an area away from family, sometimes finding a babysitter can be tough. We all know the horror stories of the babysitters who do nothing but chew bubblegum and chat on the phone with their friends instead of actually watching your kids. And believe it or not, that still happens, and some parents are oblivious to it. Just because someone is nice doesn’t mean they’re a good babysitter.

When we lived in a small town called Pinetop, here in Arizona, we lucked out and had some pretty good babysitters. They lived just across the street from us, so if they needed anything, they could always call on their parents for immediate help. Most of the time, when we arrived home from our date, not only were they interacting with our kids, but the dishes were done.

Bonus!

Here are a few questions to think about when choosing a babysitter:

Does she know who to call if something happens?

Does she have any experience?

What are her parents like?

Does she do well in school?

Does she attend church regularly?

Is she even good with kids?

And I’m sure you have some questions of your own.

Here’s another question you can ask yourself, a little more on the serious side:

If the need arises, does she know how to handle a gun?

If you trust your babysitter enough, have approval from her parents and feel comfortable with it yourself, tell them where they can find your pistol should the need arise. Most teenage girls have no desire to handle a weapon, but wouldn’t you feel a little more secure if your babysitter knew how to handle a gun?

This is kind of the same concept of allowing our children’s teachers at school carry weapons.

Very controversial.

With that said, here’s a picture of Chynna, who was our babysitter once upon a time. She’s since grown up a bit and is doing some modeling (obviously), but it’s nice to know that she can handle a weapon should the need be. I’m not quite sure if she knew how to back then, but my guess is she probably did.

So if you’re looking for a model, actress or a nanny, who knows how to handle a weapon, she comes highly recommended.

Are you in the market for a shiny new AR-15? Well, if you’ve found your way here, chances are you are indeed looking for one and you want to build it yourself. Well, congratulations, you’ve made the first step to owning one of the finest firearms currently in use!

After recent shootings and attacks, the market for AR-15s and AR 15 parts has been quite busy. Both customers and dealers alike are having trouble getting their hands on these popular guns as people scoop them up left and right. Pretty much the only people who are able to get their hands on them are the ones willing to pay top dollar for them.

But you’re not looking for an AR-15, you’re looking for the parts to build your own! Well, I’ll give you some tips on finding those AR 15 parts you need.

The easiest and cheapest way for you to get the parts you need is to buy them online. You can find most of the parts easily enough for reasonable prices though any number of different online gun shops. Most of these parts aren’t regulated by the ATF and don’t have serial numbers. What’s that mean? It means you can have them shipped right to your home without any hassle!

However, the AR-15 lower is regulated by the ATF and is required by law to have a serial number stamped onto it. This is one of the only AR 15 parts that will need to be shipped to a licensed dealer for you to pick up. When you pick up this part, you’ll have to fill out paperwork and undergo a background check, just like if you were buying a fully assembled gun.

Your other option is heading down to the closest brick and mortar gun shop. Some of these places will have a few of the parts in stock, but very few will have everything you need in stock. But don’t worry! Pretty much any gun shop will be more than happy to custom order whatever gun parts you currently need. A lot of times they can even assemble it for you or help you assemble it.

So if you’re in the market for AR 15 parts, your best bet is going to be to buy them online. Not only are they usually cheaper, it’s usually a lot faster since you won’t have to wait for a gun shop to order them for you!

First off, everyone effected in any way by the horrific school shootings in Connecticut today will be included in my prayers. There isn’t a decent soul in this country that isn’t grieving for those innocent lives that were lost today.

I have a mild glimpse of the emotions going through every citizen and child involved in that horrible crime. A few years ago, while living in Payson Arizona, I received a call from a friend who informed me that my children’s school was in lock down. Someone on school grounds had seen a man wearing a trench coat, carrying a gun, walking around the school’s premises.

With our home just a few blocks away from the Elementary school they attended, you’d better believe that I was there in moments. The police were there, sweeping the area for the suspect, and all I wanted to do was take my kids home.

That day, I was filled with so much anger and aggression. The thought that my kids had to hide under their desks, with the lights turned off, while police officers swept through the school, made my blood boil. There is not a child in this world that should have to experience that fear, and knowing that mine had to, brought me to tears.

The events of that day were no where near the magnitude as the tragedies experienced in other parts of our nation and in Connecticut today.

What can be done to prevent school shootings and better protect our children?

After the 9/11 airline hijackings, extreme precautions were put into place to prevent that from ever happening again. When the bombing in Oklahoma occurred, barriers around public buildings and distance restrictions were put into place.

What have we done in our school systems, not to just minimize the chances, but to prevent this from ever happening again?

I may just be naive, but here are a few of my ideas:

Form a Security Agency for School Systems. Create an agency specifically for this purpose and call it the NESF, National Education Security Force, or something. The number of guards at each school would depend on the size of the school. Give them an office space were they’ll have access to security camera’s and be able to monitor everyone approaching the school. People will always argue that most schools don’t have the budget for this, but I am willing to bet, after today’s tragedy, most parents would be in support of a tax raise for this very purpose, if it had to come to that. There are ways to find the funding.

Security Camera’s. If the Security Agency sounds too drastic, then let’s get some camera’s installed at all entrances which would be constantly monitored during school hours.

Medal Detectors. This one would be kind of tough and I’m not sure how effective it would be, but every school could get medal detectors installed at every entrance. The events in Connecticut occurred when school was already in session. If the office was alerted of someone entering the building by a medal detector, maybe something could have been done.

Volunteer Security Force. Given, there would have to be strict requirements for those looking to volunteer, but just as I volunteer to teach my daughters P.E. class, parents could form a committee designed to keep watch…sort of like a neighborhood watch program.

Train Teachers/Principals Defense Tactics. Should it be a requirement, with everything else a teacher or principal is required to do, to take courses specifically designed towards protecting their students? Can we go as far as installing a small “gun vault” in the principals office for protection? I am all for training teachers how to defend and react, which I’m sure there are those sorts of programs already, but I’m not so sure the gun vault would be a good idea. We’re trying to keep guns away from our schools, and putting one in every single school could back fire, or would it?

Just a few ideas for thought. After the events of the potential gunman at my kids school in Payson Arizona, they installed a rod iron fence around the entire grounds with only one entrance, which was the front door. How many schools are in existence which haven’t had something like this happen to them yet, which also don’t have anything place to better protect their students? Too many!

So please, to whoever might read this, let’s work together in creating a safer environment for our children to learn in. With the increase in bullying, the mentally disturbed and terrorists at large, we, as parents, must be involved directly in order to make a change.

I like to hear some of your thoughts and ideas. Leave a comment below if you’ve got one.

With as much as I love shooting, it gets a little tough on my wallet. So, to curve my appetite to shoot, I turn to my phone. Google Play has some pretty sweet gun simulator apps, and the Apple Store probably does too. (I don’t have an iPhone and my wife won’t let me try them out on hers!!)

With an unlimited supply of ammo, some of these apps are a lot of fun. My favorite out of all of them is the Weaphones App, built by “OranginalPlan.” There’s both a free and paid version of this app. I only have the free version installed. But out of all the apps I downloaded and tried out, Weaphones had the best graphics, sound and features. It not only allowed me to blow through ammunition the way I like to, it makes you drop the magazine, put a loaded one back in, release the bolt and pull the trigger. Most features that exist on a real weapon, exist on these.

So here’s the list of my top five gun simulator apps in existence today (that i know of and which can be used on an Android phone):

Weaphones. My top pick. Real simulator and great graphics. Allows you to drop magazines, reload, toggle safeties, release bolts, toggle lasers, fold stocks and actually pull the trigger. It allows you to zoom in on the weapon, switch shooting direction and make tutorials optional. Watch Video

Sim Gun. Sim Gun is almost as cool as the Weaphones app. there are several different Sim Gun apps, one for each specific weapon, such as the 1911, M4 and AK47. The sound and graphics are nice and each weapon has different features that are usable, such as reloading, releasing the bolt and extending the stock. The M4 app is probably my favorite one. Another cool thing about this app, you can download a target app on another phone and use your phone to shoot the target using bluetooth. Watch Video

Gun Club 2. Gun Club 2 has a good selection of weapons to use. Graphics don’t really compare to those of the Weaphones app and it is a large download. Watch Video

Guns. Guns, by Calford, is a pretty neat app. One feature I love with Guns is the ability to shoot downrange at different targets. Choose from guns such as the Desert Eagle pistol or an RPG.

A Set of Guns. The simulator is pretty basic but a cool feature in this app, is the game that comes with it. If you’d like to shoot some bottles with your selected weapon, click “play the game.”

I recently discovered this infographic that has heightened my awareness of my rights as I travel across the states. It’s nice to know exactly how much force you can or cannot use depending on which state you’re in, or which state you plan on traveling to. Some simple knowledge of guns laws can mean the difference in an impossible situation. It’s nice to know that my home state, Arizona, is standing strong with the Stand Your Ground laws along with the right to carry a concealed weapon.

You’ll also find some interesting criminal statistics on the infographic. It’s an eye opener to see how often some of these crimes occur. One out of five homes will be vandalized. One out of five! I can tell you this much, if you don’t have a weapon in your home for the protection of your loved ones and possessions, what are you waiting for? As much as we all want the world to become a better place, bad things will still happen. Don’t be a statistic!

Orion Entertainment, the world’s leader in outdoor-adventure television, is currently casting for a new docu-reality television pilot that explores weapon-savvy Americans and their families. These regular and everyday citizens are armed and prepared for when the fabric of society unravels in the wake of any major cataclysmic event.

The weapons preppers featured in the television pilot will be armed with the latest in firearms technology, ammunitions, night vision optics, vehicles and security systems. They believe their preparedness and armament is to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones for catastrophic events such as terrorist attacks, economic meltdowns, global pandemics and natural disasters.

Potential candidates would need to be available for approximately 4 days of filming and provide camera access for a full 360-view of their defensive strategies:

On-camera interviews with preppers and their family and friends (when applicable). Need to hear of any past incidents and events that have shaped their mindset today. What motivates them now, and what are their biggest fears and thoughts on the future of the world?

An “all-access tour” of their security items – firearms, ammo, knives, night vision, etc. What do they have, and more importantly, why? We want audiences to be wowed by the collection!

Access to test-firing weapons – our preppers will show our host and audiences what their firepower can do.

A sneak-peak into their security and safety plans and strategies. What is the plan for an economic crisis? Tornados that wiped out the states power grids? A terrorist attack on U.S. soil?

What is their training of real-world scenarios and situations to keep their skills up-to-date? The preppers and our host will run the drills.

We want to see it all, hear it all and feel it all.

Orion Entertainment has a reputable and long standing relationship with the firearms and accessories industry as well as a proven track record in successful awareness and preparedness programming through the likes of our Don’t Be a Victim series on Spike TV. We take the need for personal protection, preparedness and awareness very seriously and our end goal is to educate the public on this vital need. Our mission is to showcase the people that are smart and are prepared. This is their insurance policy, and they’re on the right track to keeping themselves and their loved ones safe for when society unravels and for whatever the future may hold.

This is an exciting opportunity to explore the harsh realities of society today, told through the lives of the most armed people in America.

Together these American citizens – and their chilling motivations – establish the fundamental premise of this series: nothing matters if the society unravels and you can’t defend yourself, your family, and your survival cache.

PLEASE NOTE: We fully understand the need for anonymity and respect that. Only first names will be used when requested (or can be changed for protection) and only general locations will be used – i.e. south, east coast, mid-west.

This open casting call is for a limited time only, filming will begin very soon, so it is important to take action now. To submit yourself or someone you know for the program, please send contact information, a brief bio and a “preview” of what security items you have to gunshowcasting(at)gmail.com or call 720-259-1547 for more information.

If you currently hold a concealed weapons permit, are about to get one or live in a state that allows you to carry a concealed weapon, here are a few ways you can conceal a weapon in your vehicle.

The Obvious Places to Conceal a Weapon

There are some obvious places and not so obvious places to conceal a firearm in your vehicle. Some of the obvious spots are:

The glove box

The console

Under the seat

Between the seat and the console

In the drivers side or passenger side door compartments

Most of these places are obvious spots to conceal a weapon because they’re the easiest places. It doesn’t take much effort to toss a pistol and a few magazines into the glove box before a road trip. Nor does it take much effort to place a weapon under the seat. Easy equals obvious.

Now, I’m not implying that it’s a bad thing to conceal a weapon in any of these places. Having a weapon in the car is better than not having a weapon in the car. However, you have to think about keeping that firearm out of the wrong hands should your car fall victim to vandalism. Burglars are looking for things of value to quickly snag as they walk past your vehicle. A pistol would make a mighty nice prize and turn an average car thief into a more dangerous threat.

Here recently, our neighborhood was frequently hit by a burglar. His primary targets were vehicles. When he was finally caught, he had a knife in his coat pocket, a pistol in his back pocket and a backpack containing four other pistols and enough ammunition to start a small war. It all came from his streak of vandalism.

He was caught by a man leaving on an archery hunt at 4am. When approached, the burglar went for his pocket but before he could draw his weapon, the hunter whacked him on the head with his revolver. Just awesome!

If you’re going to secure a pistol in an obvious place in your car, just make sure it’s out of site. If you can help it, make sure someone can’t steal it. For example, you can use a vehicle console vault shown in the picture. You can order them with a key lock or combination lock.

Less Obvious Places to Conceal a Weapon

Depending on the vehicle you drive, there are several places to mount a pistol while keeping it out of site and in a less obvious spot. The dilemma I always face in choosing to carry a weapon in my vehicle is ease of use versus security. On one hand, I want to make sure my pistol is hidden well enough so that it doesn’t get stolen. On the other hand, in case of an emergency, I want to be able to access my weapon very quickly.

With a holster such as the picture below, a pistol can be mounted just about anywhere in your vehicle.

Under the Dashboard

Mounting a pistol under the drivers side dashboard is possibly your best option. Depending on the positioning, your weapon will be completely out of site when peering in through the window while being completely accessible in case of an emergency.

In the Headrest

I’ve also heard of those who have successful concealed a small pistol in the headrest of their seats. The compartment would have to be custom work and sealed with Velcro to appear normal. But hey, if a TV monitor can be mounted in a headrest, so can a small pistol.

In the Ceiling

Another place to conceal a pistol would be in the ceiling matting. I’ve seen pistols mounted behind ceiling lights, TV monitors and in random locations on the ceilings of vehicles with thicker padding.

On the Ceiling

Just mount your weapon on the ceiling of your vehicle. There are a ton of mounting systems and gun racks on the market that can be easily attached to the ceiling of your car. They come with or without locking systems. This probably isn’t the best option when trying to hide your weapon from a burglar, but you’d be surprised by how many people never look up when robbing a car.

In the Trunk

In the trunk is a great place to conceal your weapons. The only downfall is the accessibility. Most trunks can be accessed from inside the vehicles within a few seconds, but sometimes a few seconds is all you have. Plus, most burglars won’t look in the trunk of a car and are more interested in the eye candy. If they can see it through the window, the more likely they’ll break in to get it.

Behind the Back Seat Console

Many vehicles are now equipped with a console for the back seat. It flips up and down to hold drinks and miscellaneous items. When up, it looks like the rest of the seat. It’s very easy to access from anywhere in the car and most burglars won’t check it, or even notice it.

Behind a Fake Stereo Faceplate

Anyone who has ever installed a new stereo knows that many of them come with detachable face plates. I’ve seen pictures of a compartment behind that faceplate, just big enough for a pistol. The only problem with this….many burglars try to steal stereos. Last time I checked, guns are worth more than stereos!

On the Side of the Console

Depending on the vehicle, a great place for easy access would be to mount the pistol to the side of the front console. Again, depending on the vehicle, it may be extremely visible to anyone passing by or it may be fairly concealed. In the case of this picture, it would probably be hidden fairly well.

Inserted in Drivers Side Seat

Another great spot would be inside the front side of the drivers side seat. Depending on the design of the seat, there should be enough room to carve out a little compartment into the front of the seat for safe concealment of a weapon.

Conclusion

In case of an emergency, carrying a pistol in your vehicle can get you out of jam. Creativity is the key and you’re life or those of who you love are the prize. Make sure that you are in accordance with your local and state laws when you conceal any weapon in your vehicle. In my humble opinion, when it comes to my safety, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

I’m curious to know where you have placed your weapon in your vehicles. What has worked for you? Please leave a comment below.

If you’re anything like me, you like to browse the Google machine to scope out some new guns. However, when it comes to purchasing those firearms, I’m more of a hands on kind of guy. I’m not sure I would ever purchase a firearm online unless it was brand spankin’ new and from a trusted dealer/manufacturer. There are certain things that I like to look for in a gun before I purchase it, and that sort of thing can only be done in person.

BUT, for those of you who don’t mind purchasing your guns online, here is a list I compiled a list of gun auction sites, or firearm auction sites. Some of these sits come and go, they are sold off, acquired by another auction site and redirected, shut down and always changing. So if you find a link that is broken or that doesn’t bring up the auction site it was supposed to, please shoot me a message and I’ll get it corrected.